Home :: DVD :: Drama :: General  

African American Drama
Classics
Crime & Criminals
Cult Classics
Family Life
Gay & Lesbian
General

Love & Romance
Military & War
Murder & Mayhem
Period Piece
Religion
Sports
Television
Road to Perdition (Full Screen Edition)

Road to Perdition (Full Screen Edition)

List Price: $14.99
Your Price: $13.49
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 .. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 .. 35 >>

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: "Sons are put on this earth to trouble their fathers."
Review: Sam Mendes' "Road to Perdition" is a tale illustrating how the fickle hand of fate can unleash terrible tragedy and destruction. It is also a film undermined by its simplicity of story. The story revolves around Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks), a hit man for the Chicago mob in the 1930's. While out one night on an assignment, Sullivan's son, Michael Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) accidentally discovers what his father does for a living by witnessing one of his executions. Connor Rooney (Daniel Craig) tries to clean up the mess caused by Michael Jr.'s discovery and this sets into motion a bloody conflict between Sullivan and his former employer, John Rooney (Paul Newman).

Despite its noteworthy cast and the presence of director Sam Mendes ("American Beauty"), "Road to Perdition" plays out like a routine point A to point B story. It is a film that plays it safe and simple. There are no exciting twists on its dramatic themes and its straightforward plot actually leads to a number of lulls in its narrative. Yet the film is not devoid of merits. Conrad L. Hall's terrific cinematography ensures that the audience is always looking at a pretty picture and the cast is outstanding. Hanks shows that he can effectively stretch his screen persona and Hoechlin firmly establishes himself as a valued member of the current generation of child actors. Additionally, it is always a treat to see Newman perform and he brings a quiet but powerful dignity to all of his scenes. Jude Law also turns in a quality turn as a demented assassin.

Still, "Road to Perdition" only comes across as adequate. It is a production that holds your attention but quickly fades from memory once it concludes. The character dynamics just are not as rich as those in "The Godfather" and the film produces surprisingly little energy. Score "Road to Perdition" as a noble attempt that falls short despite all its potential.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Ok movie to fall asleep to
Review: I must be the only person who was bored out of my mind watching this movie.
It is a great cast and the acting is great. The plot, about a mafia-father who has to take his son and run for their lives after his wife and other son are killed by one of his "partners", is a good plot.
But, after the first 15 minutes I was so bored I was ready to turn the movie off and my husband was fast asleep.
Everyone I've talked to says the same thing, but obviously none of them have written a review here.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good movie
Review: Tom Hanks and Paul Newman are fabulous actors but I wasn't deeply impressed by this picture. Jude Law is also a great actor. However I'm not a huge fan of violence. It is a great movie though.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good But They CHEATED!
Review: My comments may mean nothing you if you haven't already seen this movie.

As per-usual, Tom Hanks gives a great performance. But for a gangster movie, I have to admit, it was a bit soft.

Although I found the movie very enjoyable, neat plot, I couldn't ignore how much the screenwriters cheated to pull this off. I have read and viewed every book and docuementary I could get my hands on about Al Capone, and ONE THING Capone did'nt go for was the killing of a man's wife and small kids. Let alone Capone protecting such a man!

Also, when Hanks' character bursts into banks taking Capone's money---IMMPOSSIBLE! Not the way the real CAPONE did business! He had such things as his financial records and money guarded like Fort Knoxt! Until his brother Ralph goofed up.

And another thing, NO ONE would DARE walk into the office of and talk to the real Frank Nitty (the Enforcer) the way the character Conner (Paul Newman's son) did. Nitty was Capone's second in command, and Conner would have been in the trunk of someone's car real fast if he did that!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Engrossing.....and dark!
Review: Tom Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a family man who also happens to work for a mobster (Paul Newman) who has been a father-figure to him. Hanks' son, curious as to what his father does for a living, stows away in his father's car and witnesses him commit murder. This begins a chain of revenge and retribution with each man involved hoping to be the last man standing. Hanks' former friends turn against him and he flees with his son. His goal is to keep his son from following in his footsteps and he will go to any lengths to prevent that. All of the actors turn in good performances, particularly Hanks, Newman, and the young man who plays Hanks' son. This is an engrossing movie, despite its slow pace,but be forewarned that it is also very dark.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Why a different end than the book?
Review: I loved the movie, I thought iy was visually stunning and well acted. I picked up the original book after seeing the movie, and was suprised to find out the ending of the novel was so much more poignant. Was the director more concerned with commercial appeal?

I understand some of the changes, as they were made for time, streamlining and condensing. Easier to have one hitmanetc... but why change the end, why deviate form the book there? The ending seemed predictable but at the end of such a well crafted movie I was not disapointed, but after reading the novel, by comparrison the movie's end seems to lack the impact of the novel's. The director played it safe.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Tom Hanks pulled it off.
Review: I was a little skeptical at first about Tom Hanks playing a gangster, but he did a very good job of doing so. When I popped this DVD in my player, I really didn't know what to expect, I haven't heard anything about the movie, all I knew was that I am a pretty big Tom Hanks fan (beside Cast Away). The movie is about a gangster (Tom Hanks) and his son that are on the road for six weeks running from the people that killed their family and at the same time trying to get revenge on the people that killed their family. At the climax of the movie I couldn't help but wonder why I ever doubted it, it was terrific. A must watch.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Hype
Review: Tom Hanks as a hitman? I don't buy it -- and neither will you. Paul Newman's greatest performance? Nope. Overly-hyped, predictable Hollywood product? Yes.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: unbelievably breathtaking
Review: I'm not one to praise the mobster genre - normally, there is too much blood, gore and negativity for my taste. However, I say with complete honesty that Road to Perdition is one of the best films I have ever seen, and clearly it is the best film I have seen this year. The performances, the music, the cinematography and the story are breathtakingly beautiful. I stayed away from this film when it was in theaters and I almost didn't watch the DVD. Upon viewing it, I sat in amazement pondering its brillance. I then watched it again and loved it even more. Buy it - I did. Every true movie fan should own this one.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An excellent movie!!!
Review: I'll start off by saying that I don't know much about the director or some of the other actors in the movie, but I figured that the movie would be good because Tom Hanks usually does some great movies such as Cast Away, Saving Private Ryan, and Green Mile to name a few. This is a gangster movie going back to 1931.
Hanks is Michael Sullivan, Sr. He is married and the father of Peter and Michael, Jr. The mobsters are Irish Catholic and live in and around Chicago in 1931 during Prohibition. Hanks works as an enforcer for his foster father, John Rooney (a raspy-voice Newman), an Illinois gangster affiliated with Al Capone. This is how Michael Sullivan made a living and is Michael's way of paying back Mr. Rooney for all the good things he had done for him. Michael always keep his profession a secret to his two sons, until one day Michael Jr sneaks in his dad's career and happens to witness a murder taking place. When his dad's discovers he there, he begins to worry. During the movie, Mr. Rooney's jealous biological son, Conner (Daniel Craig), rashly murders Michael's wife and youngest son, setting Michael on a course of revenge in the belief that his surrogate father has betrayed him. Now Michael is outside his mob family's protection, on the road with his surviving 12-year-old son. Father and son, bound by sorrow and a sense of guilt, grow closer as they elude an assassin and put into effect a clever plan ...I think that it's worth being in anyone's VHS or DVD collection, unless you are very offended with violence. Good Movie!


<< 1 .. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 .. 35 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates